When bad things go good

November 4, 2007 7:53 PM

What do I with 2 gross ingredients?

The other day I purchased spoon-sized Shredded Wheat because it was on sale, I wanted a healthy breakfast, and I thought I remembered liking it. Well, I don't. I still have full box. Do you have any recipes where you make it in to something else?

A friend gave me a jar of home-made crabapple jelly. I generally only use strawberry jelly on toast once and a while. What do I do with this? Don't apples and pork go well together?

No seafood recipes, please.

posted by auntietennis to Food & Drink (26 answers total)

Shredded Wheat can be good with lots of sugar on it, for sort of a faux-Frosted Mini Wheats kind of thing.

That's pretty much all I've got. Apples and pork do go well together, but I don't really eat pork ("I just don't dig on swine") so I wouldn't know.
posted by rossination at 8:06 PM on November 4, 2007

Save the Shredded Wheat until Christmas and use it as shingles on the roof of a gingerbread house.
posted by Andy's Gross Wart at 8:07 PM on November 4, 2007 [2 favorites]

I bet you could make some kind of healthy muffin if you crushed up the shredded wheat. (There are tons of recipes if you google, I can't vouch).

And yeah, pork + apples = good. I'd just melt it and use it to glaze a tenderloin (maybe with some cloves or somethng), but I'm not a very creative meat cook and this is a totally theoretical suggestion.
posted by SoftRain at 8:14 PM on November 4, 2007

You could try eating the Shredded Wheat hot (made with hot milk) and adding brown sugar. It's got a different taste and texture when it's warm that you might prefer to the cold taste.
posted by amyms at 8:31 PM on November 4, 2007

I can't vouch for any of these, but here's the result of a google search for recipes with shredded wheat.
posted by la petite marie at 8:32 PM on November 4, 2007

Yes, Shredded Wheat tastes much better IMHO with hot milk poured on it and a bit of sugar added on top. A nice comfort dish on a cold winter's night.
posted by Oriole Adams at 8:38 PM on November 4, 2007

Use the shredded wheat as bait for Squirrel Fishing!

When I was in college, the cafeteria would put shredded wheat crumbs into a container next to the soft-serve ice cream machine, with the intention that they be used as topping. I never saw anyone actually partake of the shredded wheat crumbs in such a manner, but perhaps you would like to give it a try.

And yes, you could use the crabapple jelly as a glaze for pork. Or you could stir it into plain oatmeal, or mix it with softened cream cheese for a dip.
posted by Ostara at 8:44 PM on November 4, 2007 [1 favorite]

Pretty much any grainy food can be crushed up, mixed with butter and sugar, and used as a crust or betty topping. I would crush your miniwheats, press them into the bottom of a pan, cover with sliced peaches and brown sugar and bake, then top with whipped cream.
posted by Ambrosia Voyeur at 9:04 PM on November 4, 2007

Marshmallow and Shredded Wheat (that's been well shredded) makes a dee-lish alternative to the rice crispy treat. Add a teaspoon of sea salt into the mixing bowl for more interesting fun. It'll taste both sweet and sour and have a different, more fun texture than rice crispy.
posted by parmanparman at 9:05 PM on November 4, 2007

amyms: You could try eating the Shredded Wheat hot (made with hot milk) and adding brown sugar. It's got a different taste and texture when it's warm that you might prefer to the cold taste.

My family does this with hot water, adding cold milk and sugar once it's softened. Cheaper and easier than heating milk, too.
posted by loiseau at 9:13 PM on November 4, 2007

You could just toss the shredded wheat outside and let some birds eat it. I mean, you don't have to eat it just because you bought it.

Unless that's just how you roll.
posted by yehaskel at 9:36 PM on November 4, 2007

I've always thought the Greek dessert "Kataïfi" (authentically made with finely shredded phyllo) looks like it's made with shredded wheat (see a photo on this page, 2nd pic), and, indeed, I found a recipe for kataïfi made with shredded wheat. This is for a large batch, but you could reduce the measurements. (Also, this seems like one of those "forgiving" dishes; you could probably use almonds or pecans instead of walnuts, or a mixture of nuts, and/or toss in some raisins or bits of peach or pear or whatever, if the notion strikes you...)

With the crabapple jelly, you might try making a cranberry-crabapple chutney, and if it turns out great, you can use it at Thanksgiving! Here's one recipe (scroll down); I'd substitute some of your jelly for the crabapples, and omit or reduce the brown sugar. Even though that recipe is on a page featuring lobster, I think it would be much better with pork or fowl.
posted by taz at 9:56 PM on November 4, 2007

I think you can crush up the shredded wheat and use it in place of bread crumbs in recipes for things like meat loaf and meat balls.

As for the crabapple jelly, I think you're on the right track with pork—serve the jelly as a condiment alongside a pork roast. You could also try it with roasted leg of lamb. The opened jelly will probably keep indefinitely in the fridge (although some of the sugar might crystallize out eventually), so you have plenty of time to use it up gradually.
posted by Orinda at 10:34 PM on November 4, 2007

I always liked shredded wheat with honey drizzled over it. You could also use them to make bran muffins. Or as a substitute for breadcrumbs in recipes, as already mentioned.

The jelly could be used as glaze on any kind of meat. Or possibly good with cheese? (I've no idea what crabapple jelly tastes like)
posted by Kololo at 10:51 PM on November 4, 2007

Shredded wheat can be good hot. Microwave a bowl with some milk and sugar for 30-45 seconds.

You can make the jelly into a sweet and sour sauce by adding vinegar and crushed red pepper, and heating it over the stove.
posted by evil holiday magic at 10:57 PM on November 4, 2007

Seconding this suggestion ^

Sweet and sour sauce is wonderful, especially homemade.
posted by tehloki at 12:40 AM on November 5, 2007

You crazy fools! Shredded wheat is good for one thing only: shredding, adding some chocolate and other goodies, forming into nests and topping with mini eggs. The shops will soon be prepping for Easter so have an early treat that will also be a lesson about buying healthy. I've picked out a nest recipe that looks like a good one.
posted by biffa at 1:08 AM on November 5, 2007 [1 favorite]

You can make a snack mix. There are loads of recipes out there. Hope you've got Worcestershire Sauce!
posted by Deathalicious at 3:34 AM on November 5, 2007

With the shredded wheat, add some milk and sugar, zap in in the microwave. Add sugar to taste. Brown sugar works good, too.
posted by zardoz at 3:49 AM on November 5, 2007

I've seen gingerbread houses that used shredded wheat to create a thatched roof effect.
posted by HeroZero at 4:22 AM on November 5, 2007

Best answer: Shred the shredded wheat. Pulverize it a little bit but not too much.

Take some pork chops, pepper them a bit. Dip them in egg. Dip egged pork chops in shredded wheat. Bake per pork chop baking instructions.

Garnish with crab apple jelly.

Result: Delicious. My grandma made that exact recipe for us every year during crab apple harvest.
posted by ian1977 at 5:00 AM on November 5, 2007 [1 favorite]

Just donate it to a food bank.
posted by jeffamaphone at 8:42 AM on November 5, 2007

Donate an open box of Shredded Wheat to a food bank? What's next? Muffin stumps?
posted by Evangeline at 9:21 AM on November 5, 2007

Shredded Wheat Autumn Crisp but with jelly on the apples. Or feed it to the poor birdies (think of all the one-legged pigeons).
posted by pracowity at 9:34 AM on November 5, 2007

I've seen shredded wheat used as a fry breading, but I can't find the recipe now.
posted by klangklangston at 11:36 AM on November 5, 2007

i like shredded wheat much better when it's doused in chocolate milk. also with a pack of instant hot chocolate powder dumped on top, then a cup of regular milk, stir well.

crababble jelly is pretty good with cheese and crackers. try carr's water crackers & brie.
posted by twistofrhyme at 11:51 AM on November 5, 2007